There are many companies that choose to outsource certain functions. The most important reason is the cost. There are many things that a company can do in house which can be outsourced to specialized companies and reduce the costs at the same time. A simple example is the accounting and bookkeeping functions.
There are cases where the cost to train and employee one more accountants is higher than simply outsource this function. Similarly, there are cases where the packing, the distribution, the marketing or other similar functions are outsourced for cost reasons.
Of course, it’s not just the cost that needs to be considered. If your company’s resources are valuable then certain tasks should be outsourced to free up some time and focus on things where your company is better at.
ACCA does not require a degree to register as a student. Institutes have different rules (which change from time to time) so it’s better to search for the institute that you are interested in. The trend though is to allow anyone register as a student even if they don’t have a degree since the qualification itself is considered adequate training after all.
In the US, each state has different deadlines and these deadlines sometimes also change. I would therefore say that the best thing to do is search the website for your state (you can find it here http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State-and-Territories.shtml) and then search for the deadline. In the UK, the deadline is 9 months after the year end for Limited Companies but it’s better to search the companies house website for updated information.
A client relationship management system will enable to segment your prospective or existing customers, understand their needs and offer them a product that will cover their needs.
A CRM will help you automate tasks such as capturing information from prospective customers, process the data and offer products that will likely result in a sale. However, it is worth mentioning that the cost should be always compared to the benefit that your company is likely to have from implementing such software since installing any CRM is the first step. You will need to train your staff and maintain your software.
The idea behind any ERP system is that it can help you organise core everyday functionalities such as finance, inventory, customers, purchases, human resources etc. For example, if you have hundreds of customers and you run hundreds of projects, an ERP system can help you track your work in progress, compare your revenue and your profitability and deliver services or goods that are good quality but above all profitable.
Most ERP systems offer similar functionalities or modules. For example, inventory module is a common one. Similarly, finance and accounting functionality is another core module.
I would look for an ERP that is easy to use, easy to implement, easy to maintain and above all an ERP that can offer you a quantified benefit that exceeds the costs.
